And take the helmet of salvation. Ephesians 6:17a ESV

The helmet of salvation for a Christian is the protection needed to be able to wear and utilize all the other pieces of armor properly. As I have said numerous times, “Every battle begins in the mind.” Protecting the mind is of upmost importance, for it is where battles are won and lost. It is extremely important to understand the salvation we have in Christ, for it is essential in protecting the mind. Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:13 ESV ( Reading 1 Peter 1: 3-15 would be beneficial in understanding the whole context of this verse.) Years ago, when I worked for a company that introduced computers to help accomplish our daily tasks, a statement was made that I have remembered to this day: “Garbage in, garbage out.” In other words, the computer will only give out the information it has been given. How the Christian lives will be determined by how he or she believes, concerning the word of God. The beliefs and thoughts one feeds into the mind will determine what comes out. A few thoughts from scripture to remember concerning how Christians should live and believe are as follows: Be diligent to present yourself approved to… ( KJV, Study to show thyself approved unto)… God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV …. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. Proverbs 14:12 &16:25….. Jesus said to him, “ I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14: 6 ESV….. There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved. Acts 4: 12 CBS  When you grasp in your mind the grace by which you have experienced God’s salvation, you will live differently. (Ephesians 2:8-9) You will love God much when you realize and know that you have been forgiven much. (Luke 7: 37-50 ) Again…. what a person believes will determine how he lives.

WHAT IS THE HELMET OF SALVATION ?
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit — which is THE WORD OF GOD. Ephesians 6:17 ESV  We will study more concerning the sword next Sunday, but for now, I want us to look at the helmet along with the sword as the word of God. The word of God, as a helmet, is for protection. The word of God, as a sword, is used to fight spiritual battles. When putting on the helmet we must remember, IT IS the putting on of that which you know you already have. We aren’t saved only when we put on the helmet so to speak, for salvation is secured by the grace of God. IT IS the acknowledgement of His salvation already established in our mind / heart. IT IS the protection for our minds from the battles of doubt and insecurities thrown at us by Satan. IT IS…… THE WORD OF GOD being established in our mind, growing the hope and faith in which we stand.

HOW DO I PUT ON THE HELMET OF SALVATION ?
As a child you were taught how to dress yourself physically. As a Christian you need to learn how to dress yourself spiritually in THE WORD OF GOD. Years ago my pastor gave me a Bible in which he wrote this quote, “Sin will keep you from this book and this book will keep you from sin.” Dressing ourselves spiritually is dressing the mind with the WORD OF GOD. His word of salvation is the helmet of protection for our minds. The less you know of his word, the more vulnerable to the attacks of Satan on your mind. As a Christian, you can never have too much of GOD’S WORD in your mind. How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your WORD. Psalm 119:9 ESV….. I have stored up your WORD in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalms 119:11 ESV….. Your WORD is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path. Psalm 119:105 ESV  The spiritual battles and wars are real in life and the only protection is the HELMET OF SALVATION, WHICH IS THE…….. WORD OF GOD!

APPLICATION:
Our minds can feel like a vast battle ground in which, at times, the battles seem to become increasingly intense or never-ending. The first part of winning the battle is to remember you are protected by God’s salvation and secure in His hand. Jesus said this concerning a believer, “I give them eternal life, and they will NEVER PERISH and NO ONE WILL SNATCH THEM OUT OF MY HAND.” John 10:28 ESV  Battles can be dark, and I want you to remember this phrase I once heard, “Never question in the darkness what God has shown you in the light.” When in the dark times you can not see clearly that God has redeemed you, do not let Satan cause doubt by whispering lies to you that you know are not true. When Satan strikes you with a blow of doubt, it might jar you, but your mind is protected by THE WORD OF GOD……… NO ONE WILL SNATCH YOU OUT OF HIS HAND…… NO ONE!!!!!  When you dress for battle, this is the helmet you put on…. GOD’S WORD.

Because of His Grace ~ Pastor David